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Naval History and Heritage Command

National Museum of the U.S. Navy

Battle of Anzio:  January-June 1944

(Codename:  Operation Shingle)

Conceptualized by the British, with reservations by the Americans, Allied forces were landed on the coasts of Anzio and Nettuno (south of Rome, Italy).   Rear Admiral Frank J. Lowry, USN, commanded Task Force 81, which landed the British First Army and U.S. Third Army troops at three separate beaches.   The combined forces were commanded by Major General John P. Lucas, USA.   During D-Day, LCI-20 was sunk by an aerial bomb, and USS Portent (AM-106) was sunk by a mine.   Despite this initial landing with small loss to Allied troops, German forces, lead by Marshal Albert Kesselring, mounted an impressive opposition in the following months, which forced Lucas to be replaced by Major General Lucian K. Truscott, USA.   The ongoing struggles and stalemates to capture Rome ended with Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark's, USA, Fifth Army entering the historic city on June 4, which also ended the U.S. Navy's direct involvement with the Italian Campaign.  

Image:  80-G-58425:  Battle of Anzio, Italy, January-June 1944.   Italians of Anzio, Italy.  Wars "Innocent Bystanders".   Photographed March 3, 1944.  U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.